Tainan Mayor William Lai (賴清德) could seek the presidency without first running in next year’s New Taipei City mayoral race, former Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) legislator Lin Cho-shui (林濁水) said yesterday, in support of a potential bid by Lai for the top position.
Asked in a radio interview whether Lai should seek an intermediate position on the way to the presidency, Lin said the Tainan mayor could seek the office without taking another position, similar to President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文), who did not hold a local government post before running for president.
Lai is considered a strong candidate for New Taipei City mayor, as he is one of the few DPP politicians who has what it takes to compete with New Taipei City Deputy Mayor Hou You-yi (侯友宜) in the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT)-governed special municipality.
Photo: CNA
A recent poll found that Hou and Lai have support ratings of 50 percent and 47.6 percent respectively among New Taipei City residents, while DPP legislators Lo Chih-cheng (羅致政), Wu Ping-jui (吳秉叡) and Gao Jyh-peng (高志鵬) trailed with 18.2 percent, 14.2 percent and 12.1 percent respectively.
To make room for younger politicians, Lai should allow DPP lawmakers representing constituencies in the city vie for the mayorship, provided that they can prove themselves worthy competitors to Hou, Lin said, but added that Lai would be obliged to enter the race should they be found unsuitable.
“It would hurt Lai’s political career if the DPP loses the New Taipei City mayoral election because of his absence from the race,” Lin said.
Lai should not consider the vice presidency as a viable stepping stone, because few vice presidents succeed to the presidency and they have limited authority to carry out constitutional reforms, which Lai should focus on, Lin added.
Lai, a former member of the now-defunct National Assembly, should propose constitutional reforms, the absence or failure of which created many obstacles faced by Tsai and former presidents Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) and Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九), Lin said.
Tsai has changed the government’s decisionmaking process and established a series of ad hoc bodies, suggesting the futility of existing constitutional and government systems, Lin said.
“Tsai should be given time, even though she seems indifferent about constitutional reforms,” Lin said, when asked if he was disappointed with the president.
“Lai can gradually push for constitutional reforms now, rather than wait until after he is elected president,” Lin said, adding that reforms could go into effect in 2020 or 2024, when Lai might announce a bid for the presidency.
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